Robert recently described our friendship and connection as a “karmic dance”. I agree: we have much in common, as we are both passionate about the arts. Still, as my focus of artistic expression has always been through my photography which leans toward impressionism, Robert's creative juices are clearly manifested within the myriad of genres that have inspired him, as well as by the influences from the array of towns, cities, and countries he has explored.
Bisbee, Arizona, was the breeding ground for the creation of his abstract oil paintings, enhanced by a process of applying fire to enrich the visual effects; he has featured them in his publications to partner with his poetry. And during those Bisbee years, Robert also evolved into a skilled silversmith and stone cutter, which by the 1980s morphed into creating original designs of sculptural jewelry. These stunningly unique and wearable art pieces eventually found their way to stores like Saks Fifth Avenue, and were also featured in Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. Suffice it to say, I have never known Robert Feldman to do anything on a small scale!
This brings me to his lifelong love affair with the written word. Robert's countless literary influences include Kenneth Patchen, along with Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, and other prominent writers of the "Beat Generation”. These literary giants, along with sourcing his musical inspirations from Bob Dylan, Laura Nyro, and Paul Simon among others prior and subsequent, have impacted Robert’s multifarious philosophies of imagery and rhythms throughout his distinctive poetry.
In his latest collection, "Sunflowers, Sutras, Wheatfields and other ArtPoems”, Robert offers a "playlist" of transcendent painters and musical masters for the reader to experience in his distinctive “Feldmanesque” way. As a visual artist, I find myself riveted by the painterly impressionistic word photos in his poems. As you read through each poem, his exquisitely descriptive word palette flows effortlessly from scene to scene. Unmistakably, his background as a painter, musician, and writer combine to invite you into the poem to linger for a while.
A writer from the New York Times commenting on Kerouac remarked: "If you don't read poetry, you'll never have your heart broken by language”. The poetry in this edition and the prodigious style of this poet have the power to both inspire and touch your heart.
So if you haven't experienced the rhythm and passion of Robert Feldman's poetry in the past, my suggestion is to carve out some quiet time, or invite a friend, pour some wine, and slowly savor the lyrical production that was created by this poet to guide you along into new dimensions. Enjoy your travels!
Mary Ann Appell
Impressionist Photographer
Boca Raton, Florida